Epic Games Store goes live, free games and surprise titles inbound

What just happened? After revealing it was launching a digital storefront that would compete with the likes of Steam and Origin earlier this week, the first games have appeared on the now live Epic Games Store. A couple of big names will soon be free to download, and there are a few unexpected surprises in its launch lineup.

Following Epic founder Tim Sweeney’s recent announcement, the Epic Games Store is up and running. There are only a handful of games to pick from right now, but there are a few interesting entries.

For those who love something for nothing, the excellent Subnautica and Super Meat Boy will be available gratis for a limited time. Normally priced at $25, alien ocean survival adventure Subnautica can be grabbed for $0 from December 14 to December 27. Classic indie platformer Super Meat Boy, meanwhile, is free from December 28 to January 10.

Epic’s own Fortnite and Unreal Tournament are also free on the store, and the company promises a new free game will be on offer every two weeks.

Additionally, a previously unheard of title called Hades, which comes from Transistor and Bastion developer Supergiant, is listed. Like its previous titles, this is an isometric action RPG with a distinctive art style. You can get early access for $19.99 right now.

The surprises don’t end there. Also listed in the store is Journey, the PlayStation 3 (and PS4, eventually) title that launched in 2012. We don’t know whether it will be exclusive to Epic Games' platform when it arrives, which will be “soon,” or if it will also be available on Steam and other digital storefronts.

Epic has promised that unlike Steam, which takes a 25 - 30 percent cut of sales, it will give devs 88 percent of the money it makes from their games.